1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data entry devices. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to removable faceplates for a portable computer system or other portable electronic device.
2. Related Art
As the components required to build a computer system have reduced in size, new categories of computer systems have emerged. One of the new categories of computer systems is the “palmtop” computer system. A palmtop computer system is a computer that is small enough to be held in the hand of a user and can therefore be “palm-sized.” Most palmtop computer systems are used to implement various Personal Information Management (PIM) applications such as an address book, a daily organizer and electronic notepads, to name a few. Palmtop computers with PIM software have been know as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). Many PDAs have a small flat display screen associated therewith one or more buttons or keys that can be pressed by a user.
In addition to PDAs, small flat display screens and push buttons have also been implemented within other portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, electronic pagers, remote control devices and other wireless portable devices.
User convenience and device value are very important factors for portable electronic devices. Typically, portable electronic devices are employed while the user is on the run, e.g., in business meetings, on business travel, personal travel, in a vehicle, on foot, etc. Because the user may be occupied or busy while using the portable electronic device, the number of user steps or user tasks required in order to access information from an electronic device (or to store information into the electronic device) is crucial for producing a commercially successful and useful product. That is, the more difficult it is to access data from an electronic device, the less likely the user will perform those tasks to obtain the information. Likewise, the easier information is to obtain, the more likely the portable electronic device will be used to obtain that information and the more likely the portable electronic device will become a part of the user's everyday activities.
Similarly, the more useful the device, the more the device will be used and acquired. Accordingly, the more the device can be flexible and specialized for particular uses that are important to users, the higher the likelihood that the device will be employed.
One way to personalize or specialize a portable electronic device is to alter the appearance of its faceplate or front cover. Today, many cell phones offer removable faceplates which can be attached to the device. The faceplates have button holes that are adapted fit around existing buttons that are integrated with the cell phone body. The faceplates can alter the overall appearance (e.g., color, pattern, etc.) of the device to fit a user's taste or personal preference. These prior art faceplates, while altering the cosmetic appearance of the device, do not alter the functionality or placement of the underlying buttons which are integrated with the body of cell phone device.
Other faceplates have been offered that not only provide cosmetic changes to the device, but also add some special key designations or key types to the existing buttons of the underlying device. However, the existing buttons of the underlying device are still needed. For instance, some faceplates provide mechanical buttons that are designed to contact and fit over the existing buttons on the device's body. When the mechanical button on the faceplate is depressed, so is the underlying device's button. The mechanical buttons of these prior art faceplates can alter the designations of the existing buttons or add new button types. For instance, a joystick key type (on the faceplate) can be added over a group of existing keys of the device's body. When the joy stick is moved, different keys of the key group are then activated. However, since these prior art faceplates make use of the existing keys of the device, they are limited in their potential key placements, key functionalities and key types. These faceplates may also add significant size and weight to the overall device since their keys are additive to the underlying keys.